George Cables
American jazz pianist and composer
Musical artist
George Andrew Cables (born November 14, 1944)[ 1] is an American jazz pianist and composer.
Early life
Cables was born in New York City , United States.[ 1] He was initially taught piano by his mother.[ 1] He then studied at the High School of Performing Arts and later at Mannes College (1963–65).[ 1] He formed the Jazz Samaritans at the age of 18, a band that included Billy Cobham , Steve Grossman , and Clint Houston .[ 1] Cables' early influences on piano were Thelonious Monk and Herbie Hancock .[ 1]
Later life and career
Cables has played with Art Blakey , Sonny Rollins , Dexter Gordon , Art Pepper , Joe Henderson , and other well-established jazz musicians.[ 2]
His own records include the 1980 Cables' Vision with Freddie Hubbard among others.[ 3] From 1983, Cables worked in the project Bebop & Beyond . He left later in the 1980s, but returned for guest appearances on two early 1990s albums, before rejoining in 1998.[ 1]
Cables is a charter member of The Cookers band, founded in 2010, which includes leading jazz composers and players like Billy Harper , Eddie Henderson , David Weiss , Donald Harrison , Cecil McBee , Billy Hart and others.
Discography
George Cables in 1984
As leader/co-leader
Year recorded
Title
Label
Notes
1975
Why Not
Whynot
Trio, with Tony Dumas (bass), Carl Burnett (drums)
1979
Circle
Contemporary
With Joe Farrell (flute), Ernie Watts (alto sax), Rufus Reid (bass), Eddie Gladden (drums)
1979
Cables' Vision
Contemporary
With Freddie Hubbard (flugelhorn), Bobby Hutcherson (vibraphone), Tony Dumas (bass, electric bass), Peter Erskine (drums); some tracks with Ernie Watts (tenor sax, flute), Vince Charles (percussion) added
1980
Morning Song
HighNote
Quartet, with Eddie Henderson (trumpet), John Heard (bass), Sherman Ferguson (drums); in concert
1980?
Some of My Favorite Things
Atlas
Trio, with Tony Dumas (bass), Billy Higgins (drums)
1981
Whisper Not
Atlas
Trio, with Tony Dumas (bass), Peter Erskine (drums)
1982?
Old Wine, New Bottle
Atlas
Trio, with David Williams (bass), Carl Burnett (drums)
1982?
Wonderful L.A.
Atlas
Trio, with David Williams (bass), Carl Burnett (drums)
1982
Goin' Home
Galaxy
Duo, with Art Pepper (alto sax, clarinet)
1982
Tête-à-Tête
Galaxy
Duo, with Art Pepper (alto sax)
1983?
Sleeping Bee
Atlas
Trio, with Tony Dumas (bass), Ralph Penland (drums)
1984
The Big Jazz Trio
Eastworld
Trio, with Stanley Clarke (bass), Peter Erskine (drums)
1985
Phantom of the City
Contemporary
Trio, with John Heard (bass), Tony Williams (drums)
1986
Double Image
Contemporary
Duo, with Frank Morgan (alto sax)
1987
By George
Contemporary
Some tracks solo piano; most tracks trio, with John Heard (bass), Ralph Penland (drums)
1991
Cables Fables
SteepleChase
Trio, with Peter Washington (bass), Kenny Washington (drums)
1991
Night and Day
DIW
Trio, with Cecil McBee (bass), Billy Hart (drums)
1991
Beyond Forever
SteepleChase
With Joe Locke (vibraphone), Santi Debriano (bass), Victor Lewis (drums)
1993
I Mean You
SteepleChase
Trio, with Jay Anderson (bass), Adam Nussbaum (drums)
1994
Quiet Fire
SteepleChase
Trio, with Ron McClure (bass), Billy Hart (drums)
1994
George Cables at Maybeck
Concord
Solo piano; in concert
1995
Person to Person
SteepleChase
Solo piano
1995
Alone Together
Groove Jazz
Trio, with Philippe Soirat, Carlos Barretto
1995
Skylark
SteepleChase
Trio, with Jay Anderson (bass), Albert Heath (drums)
1996
Dark Side, Light Side
SteepleChase
Trio, with Jay Anderson (bass), Billy Hart (drums)
1997
Bluesology
SteepleChase
Trio, with Jay Anderson (bass), Billy Drummond (drums)
2000
One for My Baby
SteepleChase
Trio, with Jay Anderson (bass), Yoron Israel (drums)
2001
Senorita de Aranjuez
Meldac
Trio, with George Mraz (bass), Victor Lewis (drums)
2001
New York Concerto
Meldac
Trio, with George Mraz (bass), Victor Lewis (drums)
2001
Shared Secrets
MuseFX
With Bennie Maupin (bass clarinet), Gary Bartz (alto sax), Alphonso Johnson and Abraham Laboriel (bass; separately); Vinny Colaiuta and Peter Erskine (drums; separately)
2003
Looking for the Light
MuseFX
One track solo piano; one track trio, with Peter Washington (bass), Victor Lewis (drums); most tracks quartet, with Gary Bartz (alto sax, soprano sax) added
2004
A Letter to Dexter
Kind of Blue
Trio, with Rufus Reid (bass), Victor Lewis (drums)
2007
You Don't Know Me
Kind of Blue
Solo piano
2012
My Muse
HighNote
Trio, with Essiet Essiet (bass), Victor Lewis (drums)
2013
Icons & Influences
HighNote
Trio, with Dezron Douglas (bass), Victor Lewis (drums)
2015
In Good Company
HighNote
Trio, with Essiet Essiet (bass), Victor Lewis (drums)
2016
The George Cables Songbook
HighNote
Some tracks trio, with Essiet Essiet (bass), Victor Lewis (drums); some tracks quartet, with Sarah Elizabeth Charles (vocals) added); one track quintet, with Craig Handy (tenor sax, flute) added; some tracks sextet, with Steven Kroon (percussion) added
2019
I'm All Smiles
HighNote
Trio, with Essiet Essiet (bass), Victor Lewis (drums)
2020
Too Close for Comfort
HighNote
Trio, with Essiet Essiet (bass), Victor Lewis (drums)
As sideman
With Laurie Antonioli
With Gary Bartz
With Art Blakey
With Joe Chambers
With The Cookers
With Joe Farrell
With Chico Freeman
Focus (Contemporary, 1995)
With Curtis Fuller
With Dexter Gordon
With Billy Harper
With Roy Haynes
With Eddie Henderson
With Joe Henderson
With Freddie Hubbard
With Bobby Hutcherson
With Philly Joe Jones
With Eddie Marshall
With Greg Marvin
Taking Off! (Planet X, 1991)
Special Edition (Planet X, 2001)
With Frank Morgan
With David "Fathead" Newman
With Art Pepper
The Trip (Contemporary, 1976)
No Limit (Contemporary, 1977)
Thursday Night at the Village Vanguard (Contemporary, 1977 [1979])
Friday Night at the Village Vanguard (Contemporary, 1977 [1979])
Saturday Night at the Village Vanguard (Contemporary, 1977 [1979])
More for Les at the Village Vanguard (Contemporary, 1977 [1985])
San Francisco Samba (Contemporary, 1977 [1997])
So in Love (Artists House, 1979)
Artworks (Galaxy, 1979 [1984])
Landscape (Galaxy, 1979)
Besame Mucho (JVC, 1979 [1981])
Roadgame (Galaxy, 1981 [1982])
Art Lives (Galaxy 1981 [1983])
APQ (Galaxy, 1981 [1984])
Arthur's Blues (Galaxy, 1981 [1991])
Art Pepper: Unreleased Art, Vol. 1 (APM 2006)
With Max Roach
With Sonny Rollins
With Charlie Rouse
With Bud Shank
With Woody Shaw
With Archie Shepp
With Bennie Wallace
With Kazumi Watanabe
Lonesome Cat (Denon , 1978)
References
^ a b c d e f g Rinzler, Paul; Kernfeld, Barry, Cables, George , Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press, retrieved December 18, 2014
^ Biography, AllMusic
^ Yanow, Scott. "Cables' Vision: Review" . AllMusic . Retrieved 2010-12-27 .
^ "Witness to History" . eddiehenderson.bandcamp.com . Retrieved December 31, 2023 .
External links
Years given are for the recording(s), not first release, unless stated otherwise.
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